Chattanooga Council Votes No on Chattanooga Village

Another packed meeting full of those in favor of Chattanooga Village and Hixson residents who have been pushing that they "don't chop the hilltop." Much was repeated from past meetings. Each side spoke, questions were asked, but this time it ended with the most important answer...no. The five to three vote came down to councilman Peter Murphy. "I'm gonna vote on the prevailing side and vote no," Murphy said. Hixson residents were relieved the land off of Highway 153 and Boyscout road will not become Retail and apartment space. The Developer Duane Horton says he was surprised by the final decision. "The community and the landowner lost the best option that was available. I think the other options that are available may not. I don't think are near as attractive as the one that was on the table tonight," said Horton. The North Chickamauga Creek Conservatory Director Gregory Vickery has been a leader on the opposition side and says the council made the right choice. "At no point were we ever met halfway. At no point did we get the kinds of information and feedback that we needed in order to feel secure with this developer and that's the bottom line and I think the council recognized that," Vickery said. Horton says he and the property owner aren't finished finding a way to develop the land. "There's always other options. We just need to go and weigh them and consider them and we'll put another plan together," he said. Vickery says he hopes Horton learned an important lesson through this process. He said, "There's a difference between smart growth and growth."